Rotary coupler arrangement



July 4, 1961 K. F, NYsTRoM 2,990,962

ROTARY COUPLER ARRANGEMENT Filed Nov, 17. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Kul/ o?? @im BY @M025 ,y

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 17. 1954 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent r`2,990,962 vROTARY COUP-LER ARRANGEMENT 4Karl F.`Nystrom, Chicago, lll.,;assignortoAmericanSteel Foundries, Chicago, lll., a. corporation ofgNewgJersey Filed Nov. 17, 1954, Sei". No. 469,417 1 Claim. (Cl. 213-162) The invention relates to a ,coupler arrangement for railway vfreight cars and more `plltill.larly to anew design couplerfdraft gear asseniblyccommodating rotation of the railway freight ,carabout alongitudinal axis thereof to provide for dumpingof itscontents.

It ,is a primary object `of lthe invention to provide a couplerdraftgear arrangement which willreadily -accommodate sequential dumpingf aseries Aor train ofrailway freight Kcars by facilitating rotation o f each car to inverted position.

It is `an additional object of the Iinvention to provide an arrangement of Vthe.typedescribed which meets the additional requirements `of a dumping car in an eflicient manner.

It isa particular object of the invent ion toprovide a coupler-draft gear ,arrangement of thetype described that isseasily manufacturedand assembled to the freight cars .and has suflicientstrength tomeet the severe stresses .associated with the rotary dumping operation.

These Yand other objects of'the invention will become apparent from the course of thejfollowing description -and from an examination `of' the ,following drawings,

wherein:

,FIGURE l is an assembled side..elevationalviewof a .preferred embodiment vOftheinvention, said yiewbeing partiallygsectional to clearly-illustrate structural-'features of the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the structurehownin FIGURE l, .said View also being partiallyfsectional to clearly'illustrate structuralffeatures ofthe'nventiom FIGURE 3 is assectional viewtaken along line'3-3 of FIGUREv l, `and 'FIGURE 4 is a sectional viewtakenalong line f4-4 of FIGURE 1.

' Describing the invention inl detail thearrangementeornprises a center sill indicated generally-m12, saidsill-having a top wall 4 and perpendicularlydepending-side-walls 6 and 8.

.The sill may be secured-tothe underside-of-arailway car (not shownlin the usual mannereasfiswell understood by those skilled inthe art. L Astriker\casting,1indi cated generally at '12,is disposedate-the-forwardend of the sill and rigidly secured thereto. It wilLbe, noted that the striker -casting 12 is in telescoped relation with the sill 2 as at;14,1the:sillbeing shortenedfconsiderably from that r heretofore used in the art .and .v the st rilerqeasting -.being enlarged at the forward endfthereof Las t= 1 6, the purpose ;of which will be .more fully here after dei scribed. The casting 12 may bemsecured totl ie ..sill=2 as by welding at 18. The casting .1.2fpresentsagfforwardly facing opening 17, said opening being defined by the top plate 19 and depending side plates 21, 21. At the lower end of the casting there is presented a transversely extending pocket 22, said pocket receiving a plurality of springs which flexibly support a coupler carrier 23. The operating coupler arrangement comprises a standard coupler head 24 having a shank 26` extending rearwardly therefrom and through the opening 17 of the striker 12. A yoke, indicated generally at 28, is disposed within the sill 2 and has its forward extremity 30 extending into the striker casting 12.

Directing attention to FIGURES l and 4, it will be seen that the yoke comprises vertically spaced horizontal straps 32 interconnected at the rear ends thereof by a rear wall or abutment 34. Forwardly, the straps 32 are l ce 2,990,962

Patented July 4., 1961 vI?. interconnected vby `generally cylindrical walls v at 36, 3 6. The .walls 36 present an opening 38 which receives the rear extremity of the coupler shank 26, as hereinafter more flllly described. .Immediately rearwardly ,of -the openingS, the yoke V 28 is provided with a cylindrical .section 40, said cylindrical section 4ll being defined by `the walls 36, `the arc of the section beingarranged `,to

present long, continuous, arcuate -surfaces at the top Jand bottom of the yoke headfO.

Surfaces 52, Y'52 .arranged -te be Vrotatably reeeixed .within V the cylindricall section 40. The collar additionally comprlSeS .aligned eperturee54 and 56, thelewerfaperture T56 having stop or `support lugs 58 extendingintothe.aperture at the lower end.

AS heretofore. .netedrthe .coupler .Shenklextendeinw the'striker Casting .llfendis eddtifznally. errensedlo..eX- tend rearwerdlyfthe yelsezheed andinfoefl Opening `50 v0f the .rotary 4collar 50. Therear .extremity A,0f the shank. `is sphereelly formed es .et e2, and .engages a Spherical Surfeeel4 fermedinlherent face Qfxthelfmm follower 47. 'It will'bennotedjthat the frontnfollower .47 is extremely thick andlsrrov'ded wthaaupsteading f boss-61 at its'forward end,fsaid upstanding 4 b ossm61vde- 'lningthe spherical surface =64 whichengagesthejearof the shank26. 'This enlarged' boss 61,is.arranged to provide a bearing area between thesharik frandthe follower substantially increasedV from that heretoforeemployed in Ithe art thereby reducingthe unitpressure exertedby the shank on the frontjfollower lduring bufling ac tionrofthe arrangement. Adjacent the rear extremityofthe shank *26, a pivot hole or apertureis'proyided, said aperture tapering upwardly anddownwardly at itsgfront wall letoaceornmodate vertical anglingof the coupler 24. A

pin `bearingblock'70-is positioned at vtherfear aperture G6-and vcomplementallyand arcuatelyfengages the rear surfacef72of the aperturen66. A-pin` 74V is-positioned in-the-apertures 54 and'f56 of the rotary collar f50,y and is alsodisposed tofextend through the aperture 66. of-'the xshank 26. AThe front'faeofthebearingblock70 is arcuately formed. as at 7 -8 to complementally ,engage a .seetienefithe 4periphery ofnhefpin -7 4 vwhereby .al relative Slaekfiree :Connection between;thef shankwzrend rretary .stellar-.50th v'provided- 1t fwillfbe noted that in the :ar-

26eabutsetheifrentf-ollowere47 endfthateaclearance is provided between the collar 50 and Ilthe front face of the follower 47. It will also be noted that rotary collar 50 is provided with a peripheral forwardly facing abutment which engages abutments 82 formed on the forward section of the yoke 30.

Directing attention to FIGURE 3, it will be seen that the. shank 26 is provided with a flat 86 on the lower side thereof, said flat complementally engaging the top flat 88 of the carrier 23. This at faced engagement between the carrier 23 and lche shank 26 aids in maintaining the shank in the neutral position illustnated in said figure whereby the coupler is located to conventionally couple with an adjacent car. It will be noted that the coupler 26is provided with arcuate surfaces at 90, 90, which aid in the relative rotation of the shank once the resistance to rotation offered by the at is overcome.

A retainer plate 92 may be riveted to the sill 2 whereby the yoke 28 is maintained within the sill. Additionally, the striker casting 12 is provided at the lower side thereof with a retaining plate 96, said retaining plate being supported by riveting to the casting whereby the retaining plate supports the front portion of the yoke 28 at its point of connection to the shank. It will be noted that parallel flats 100, 100 and 102, 102 are formed on the yoke 28, said ats being arranged adjacent other ats 104, 104 and 106, 106 formed on the striker casting 12. The particular arrangement of these flats prevents the yoke 28 from rotating during the action hereinafter described and additionally serve as guides for movement of the yoke longitudinally of the assembly during the application of both buling and draft forces.

Directing attention to FIGURE 4, it will be seen that the yoke 28 is provided with an opening 110 at one side thereof and is provided with another opening 111 at the opposite side. Additionally, the striker casting is provided with an opening 112 adjacent the opening 110 of the yoke and is also provided with a relatively smaller opening `113 adjacent the opening 111 of the yoke.

To assemble the disclosed arrangement, the rotary collar S is first positioned within the cylindrical aperture dened within the yoke. The draft unit 44 and front follower 47 may then be assembled to the yoke. The yoke and assembled parts are inserted into the center sill and striker casting and properly located therein. The coupler 24 is then positioned with the shank disposed within the striker and collar whereupon the coupler and the collar may be rotated to the right from position of FIGURE 4, thus yaligning the apertures 54 and 56 with the apertures and 112 in the yoke head and striker casting. At this point, it becomesa simple matter to insert the pin 74 whereby the shank is securely connected to the collar 50. After the pin assembly, the coupler and collar may be rotated to the neutral position illustrated in FIGURE 4.

It will be noted that the striker casting is provided with a circular boss 115 on the side thereof adjacent the opening 113 and arranged to surround the opening. Additionally, the yoke head 30 is provided with a circular depressed knock out 117 surrounding the opening l111. By removal of that portion of the striker casting within v =the contines of the boss 115 and by removal of the depressed knock out 117 in the yoke head 30, the openings 111 and 113 may be enlarged to provide for assembly of the pin from the` left hand side as seen in FIGURE 4. The particular advantage of this structure is that it would permit reversal of all cars in the operation to equalize wear on car sides in dumping while maintaining the same dumper rotation direction, and also permit reversal of the yoke to equalize wear on the straps. If this is done then opening 110 is preferably blocked to prevent movement of pin into it and opening 112 blocked to confine pin assembly to one side.

It will also be noted that the front portion ofthe striker casting 12 is enlarged relative to the dimensions of the center sill 2. This structure is advantageous in that the striker will then accommodate the larger yoke head 30 whereby the bearing area of the inserted collar and the yoke head may be increased in addition to accommodating the increased bearing area between the shank 26 and the front follower 47, and between the collar and yoke head.

Considering the. rotary operation of the arrangement, it must be remembered that each dumping car will have a rotary coupler on one end and a standard non-rotating coupler on the other end. The nonrotating coupler on each car is coupled -to a rotary coupler on the immediately adjacent oar. It is a normal practice to rotate the car to be dumped to inverted position and after their rotating operation has been completed, return the car to its upright position. Directing attention to FIGURE 4, the rotary action may be accomplished as follows: The car to which the rotary coupler is attached is brought into dumping position. The car and attached center sill 2 and striker 12 are then rotated in a counter-clockwise direction a full 180 to complete the dumping operation. It will be noted Ithe openings 110 and 112 pass vertically over the pin 74 which will remain down due to action of gravity preventing fouling. The car is then returned thru the same arc to upright position. Considering now the same coupler arrangement on end of mated car not being dumped where this rotating coupler is mated to the nonrotating coupler on that end of the dumping car. The rotating coupler will thus turn in a counter-clockwise direction in the non-dumping vcar sill and yoke. Referring again to FIGURE 4, the llarge pin hole S4 of collar will pass the small opening 111 of yoke and the opposite end ofpin hole 56 with support lugs 58 will pass the large i hole 110 of yoke with no possibility of fouling. Coupler is returned to neutral position when the mated dumped car is righted.

I claim.

In a rotary coupler arrangement, a sill, a striker receiving the sill and secured thereto, a coupler having a Ihead and a shank, a draft gear, said gear having a yoke and a front follower, a substantially cylindrical collar rotatably positioned in a cylindrical cavity of said yoke, a boss extending from the Ifront surface of the front Afollower and defining a spherical cavity, an end of the shank having formed thereon a spherical surface disposed within said spherical cavity, pin means connecting the shank and the collar whereby said shank and collar are free to rotate within said cylindrical cavity, the front follower and the collar being disposed entirely within the striker casting and forwardly of lthe front extremity of the sill.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,968,706 Regan July 31, 1934 1,971,953 Akitt Aug. 8, 1934 2,282,146 Mealing et al. May 5, 1942 2,545,330 Wolfe Mar. 13, 1951 2,590,868 Kayler Apr. 1, 1952 

